Free dementia caregivers' resources and printable guides

Yes. Every guide on this page is free to download and print. ADRC services for caregivers and care partners are provided at no cost, thanks to our donors. If these guides help you, please consider a gift to ADRC so we can keep them free for the next family.

The best resources are the ones that match where you are right now. A short guide answers today's question, and our team can help with the bigger picture.

Start with the guides on this page, sorted by topic. Then add people: a free Care Navigation session to build a care plan, a caregiver support group to meet others who understand, and Information & Referral for trusted local services. See everything we offer.

The best way to prevent caregiver burnout is to get support early, before you're exhausted. Take regular breaks, ask family and friends for help with one specific task, and keep up with your own health. If nights are broken by wandering or bathroom trips and you're not sleeping, mention it to your person's doctor and ask us about local in-home help. Lost sleep adds up fast.

Learning what to expect from the disease helps too, because fewer things catch you off guard. Read the "Caring for Yourself" tip sheet in the "Caring for yourself" section above, and join a free caregiver support group. The National Institute on Aging also has tips on taking care of yourself as a caregiver. If you are in crisis, find caregiver crisis resources.

Here are 10 practical tips for dementia caregivers:

1. Learn what to expect from the disease, so fewer changes catch you off guard.
2. Keep a simple daily routine.
3. Use short, calm sentences and ask one question at a time.
4. Don't argue or correct. Respond to the feeling behind the words.
5. Make home safer before something happens.
6. Put legal and financial plans in place early.
7. Ask family and friends for help with one specific task.
8. Take regular breaks, even short ones.
9. Join a caregiver support group so you're not doing this alone.
10. Look after your own health, sleep and doctor visits.

Each topic has a free guide in the library above.

It's common. As dementia changes the brain, many people misplace things and then believe someone took them. Try not to argue. Reassure her, help her look, and keep spare keys, glasses or a wallet on hand. The "Hallucinations, Delusions, and Paranoia" and "Rummaging and Hiding Things" tip sheets above have more ideas. If the change is sudden, let her doctor know.

Yes. Most of our guides are two pages, so they're easy to send to a sibling who visits now and then and doesn't see the day-to-day. Pair a guide with one specific ask, like a weekly meal or a doctor's visit. If you're feeling like you're on your own, a caregiver support group is full of people who understand, and a free Care Navigation session can help you plan who does what.

A guide can tell you what to do. A group helps you get through it. ADRC's caregiver support groups are free and led by a facilitator, meet in person and online, and last one to two hours. In-person groups need no reservation. Some groups are just for men, Spanish-speaking caregivers, or adult daughters and granddaughters. Find a group.

Three common signs of caregiver stress are feeling tired all the time or not sleeping well, feeling angry, irritable or close to tears, and pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy.

Stress can also show up as headaches, getting sick more often or losing interest in your own health. If you notice these signs, it's time to ask for help. Call us at (407) 436-7750 or book a free Care Navigation session.

Many of the guides on this page help at any age. "What Happens Next?" was written by people living with a dementia diagnosis, for people who have just received one, and "Legal and Financial Planning for People with Alzheimer's Disease" covers the steps to take soon after a diagnosis.

The "Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Fact Sheet" explains the rare inherited forms that usually start before age 65. The National Institute on Aging has more on Alzheimer's and dementia. For help finding local services, call us at (407) 436-7750.

Yes. Call (407) 436-7750, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and tell us what you need. We're happy to email or mail information to you.

Yes. Download the "Guía para quienes cuidan a personas con Alzheimer" in the "En español" section above. We also host a virtual support group for Spanish-speaking caregivers. See our caregiver support groups.

Yes. Our office has a lending library with books on caregiving, healthy aging, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Visit us at 1470 Gene Street, Winter Park, FL 32789, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

ADRC's own guides are "Getting a Proper Diagnosis", "Renewed Care: A 52-Week Devotional for Dementia Care Partners", "Your Brain: A Priceless Gift" (questions and answers about the State of Florida Brain Bank) and our "Summary of Agency Services". The other guides come from trusted national health organizations.

If you think something is wrong but there's no diagnosis yet, start with ADRC's "Getting a Proper Diagnosis" and "Understanding Memory Loss". If your person was recently diagnosed, read "What Happens Next?" and the "Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet".

If your person keeps asking the same question, gets restless in the evening or is hiding things, go to "Behavior changes and daily care". If you're running on empty, read "Caring for Yourself" and then give us a call.

Yes. "The Dementias: Hope Through Research" explains the different types of dementia, including Alzheimer's. For a quick answer, read our Alzheimer's and dementia FAQ.

Your state's Elder Services Helpline can connect you with help where your person lives. Find yours on our Elder Services Helplines page.